Why do some Fail @ Mercer

Skateboard, reason you got that load out of Florida is cause I had already committed to one out of Orlando, 2.09/mile to se ohio. Or I would have been all over it. Was sitting at number 1 on the board all last week cause I'd been home sick as a dog.

 

I'll list the reasons I think some guys dont make it here. Based on observation and brief conversations with those I've seen at the yard taking their door signs off.

In no particular order.

1. Too picky, won't go to half the country no matter how great a rate is on the load. Won't tarp, won't pull this, won't load here. Etc. Etc.

2. Miles miles miles. Some guys just can't get out of the big miles mindset. They would rather run 3k miles at 1.50 than 2k miles at 2.25. This is by far the most common factor I've observed with guys leaving mercer.

3. So far in the red and behind on bills when they come to mercer that they can't weather the learning curve, and if you've only ever worked for a mega carrier cpm pay structure, there is going to be a learning curve. You gotta learn lanes and markets.

4. Big money trap loads. This ties into number three above. Some guys are just flat out tapped out financially when they show up for orientation Monday morning, its late Wednesday before they even get on the board so all the good loads are being grabbed up by guys ahead of him, so now it's thursday, and he is stl number twenty on the board, so he logs into the load board and sees that blackhole of Oregon load paying 3600 bucks. That's 2200 after fuel by Monday and his wife just told him the power company sent the shut off notice. So dude is gonna sit in Oregon for a week before settling on a diet cheap load back east. That two grand is long gone and he is in even worst shape. the trap load puts a lot of guys out of business.

5. Mercer will let you go broke. It is truly non forced dispatch. sitting at home and just don't feel like working this week, no problem. Same thing next week? No problem. they let you take off as much time as you want and for some guys that's a recipe for disaster.

 

yep, you nailed it dead center. and thanks for the load,

 

i just leased on to mercer in april , i only have one question do you get any discounts besides fuel and tires ,like pm service, ect

 

yes, you do call the impact dept in Louisville and ask. we get em on pm service at t/a petro, discount on parts at mhc kenworth

 

oh, i Get it.....

Because I established my Life the Right way,owned my Truck for Years Have a Big Savings account and many Assets paid for, They "Pass" you by on good freight?

Completely Stupid,,, Another Reason Why I Could Never Lease a Truck onto a carrier.....

 

What the hell are you talking about? Its first empty first offered here. Up to the individual if they take it, or puss on it. Doesn't get any fairer than that.

 

Ok, but according to this other poster, Mercer gives the good freight to NEW trucks, The old timers with old trucks get the Scrap.......

apparently, it does NOT work that way huh?


"Freight is not given to old trucks" Am I missing something here?

 

yep, you are missing a lot. mainly reading comprehension. Freight is NOT given to anybody new or old. some of the new guys tend to think old trucks are given the freight, when things don't seem to work out for them.

what you should do is read this entire thread where it is stated plainly. most fail cause they are headheaded and don't comprehend the system, or cant understand things.

somewhat like you not understanding whats going on here.

heres the deal chief, we are glad that you have done well for yourself, but many of us here at mercer have had authority previously, like myself for 14 years.

I reached a point where I simply didn't want the extra work involved with it. mercer by far is the outfit I have dealt with in 34 years of trucking, you can do just as well here as you can with your own authority. that's a fact many here can back up.

you make the decisions here, you entirely have the last decision on loads you take or don't take. same as with your own authority, you make bad decisions and you get bad results. its as simple as that.

when your list of what you will do is 1/2 inch long and your list of what you wont do is 12 inches long, you are gonna have problems.

freight here is a first unload, first choice type deal. which doesn't mean at all ya cant book freight ahead, i load in the morning in Minnesota and have 3 loads booked already past that one.

and while you could do well here at mercer, as i have told others , it seems you wouldn't be a good fit, the old square peg into a round hole deal. that's isn't meant to be derogatory, just a honest observation.

 

Ok,well thank you for clearing that up...If i Mis-read the OP, My apologies....

but i still Cant fathom How you Make a Better Living Leasing your equipoment on to an existing carrier sterngthening THEIR customers... How?What did you do with your own authority? Work for Brokers or carriers with brokerage authority..Thats The BIGGEST reason why Independents Fall apart, not understanding business and educate Savvy minded individuals to secure their own customers

you Said you had authority for 14 years and couldn't make it ssuccessful? Or did you just give up because it was work?

I Could never in a million years support another carrier's customer base

But thats just me...

I mean no disrespect..I Get It, some Folks lease on to minimize paperwork,Lower compliancy files etc.....But is it worth the 25-30% you give up? (At least thats what you folks are told anyway)

To each their own...